COUNTY NEWS: Seabirds and fish killed by plastic wash up on beach

James Butler

After discovering seabirds and fish killed by plastic on the beach, a dog walker has called for us to stop throwing rubbish in our seas.

Six or seven dogfish were drowned after getting caught up in bright orange plastic netting, and washed up on East Beach in Littlehampton, near the East Beach Café.

Matt Palmer from Wick discovered fish and birds who had been killed by plastic waste on East Beach in Littlehampton. A guillemot had a plastic ring caught on its head.

The skeleton of a seagull caught in rope was strewn on the sand - and in perhaps the most powerful image, the remains of a guillemot was found with a plastic ring stuck on its head.

Matt Palmer from Wick took these images of the sad sight after discovering the animals' remains on a walk with his Siberian husky Bella on Friday at around 4pm.

He said he was 'very saddened' by what he saw, and called for people to stop littering in the sea. He said: "We need to be more aware of how we dispose of plastic. It needs to start at the top in industry and filter down to how we use it.

"That little bit of plastic down on the beach will end up in the water and an animal will eat it."

Matt Palmer from Wick discovered fish and birds who had been killed by plastic waste on East Beach in Littlehampton. Seven dogfish were caught up in plastic.

He picked up the remains and the rubbish, which he said weighted between five and 10 kilos, and 'dragged it' to the nearest bin - where he said he saw 'a vast mountain' of washed-up rubbish that someone else had also collected.

The 36-year-old was most affected by the sight of the guillemot. He said: "That poor guillemot couldn't have got free. It must have been struggling and was getting itself into a worse and worse situation.

"The ring was stuck around its eyes and the base of its skull. It was well on there; it took quite a lot of effort to pull it off."